Value Undefined
by Vaeru
Summary: Post 2nd Gig. Batou felt their absence more than most, but none at Section Nine could deny that they were sorely missed. The Uchikoma were an ugly patch to cover the gaping hole that the Tachikoma had left behind.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. All recognizable characters are the property of their respective owners. All unrecognizable ones are the intellectual property of yours truly; their theft is punishable by severe voodoo-induced pain in any and all sensitive organs of the body, followed by eternal damnation.

Because, you know, stealing is wrong.**  
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**Title:** Value Undefined 

**Summary:** Post GitS:SAC 2nd Gig. Batou felt their absence more than most, but none at Section Nine could deny that the exuberant little tanks were sorely missed. The Uchikoma were an ugly patch to cover the gaping hole that the Tachikoma had left behind.

**Rating:** T

**Warnings:** mild cursing

**Author Notes:** This is an old fic that just needed some cleaning up for posting, so I decided to polish it up in between working on Jux, drawing chibi pictures, typing out the fanfanfiction oneshot, and cursing the gods of computers for turning their backs upon me. X3

In short... computer problems. Any and all writing from now until I say otherwise is made possible by the wonderful invention of Windows Safe Mode.

Hold your applause, please, because Bill Gates otherwise deserves pain. Lots of pain.

Anywho... my first foray into Ghost in the Shell. Awesome show. :3 I hope I did it justice. Another oneshot may be forthcoming soon detailing Togusa's first day (another old ficlet that needs some polishing), possibly tonight if my insomnia persists.**  
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**Value Undefined**

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_Don't it always seem to go  
That you don't know what you got till it's gone?  
They paved paradise and put up a parkin' lot.  
_**- Counting Crows, "Big Yellow Taxi"**

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The beeping of the heart monitor created a steady counterpoint to the patient's unsteady breaths. The clear plastic of the oxygen mask clouded and cleared with each raspy exhale, and the bandaged torso rose and fell barely an inch each time. A human would not have been able to see any of this; the window was black with night's shadows, and the only light came from the various medical monitors and the partially opened doorway that led to the hospital corridor beyond. 

Seated in one of the hospital's flimsy plastic chairs, Batou had no such difficulties. His Ranger eyes cut through the shadows of the room and took in every bruise, every scrape, and every bandage showing upon the unconscious human, cataloguing it all within his cybernetic memory.

_This would never have happened…if…_

Steady footfalls came from beyond the door, drawing nearer. His audio receptors took in the sound and analyzed it: quiet but with heavy weight behind them, brisk and even strides. Military. Female.

The Major's shadow darkened the doorway. He did not bother to look up as she made her way to the foot of the bed, picking up the slim touch-screen pad that held the patient's information. He waited for it, watching the subtle stiffening along her spine, and then those jewel-red eyes turned toward the pale human lying in the bed.

He 'felt' the subtle hum of an open communication link.

**How bad is it? **she asked, her 'voice' carefully emotionless.

**From the knee down,** he replied. **Full replacement, plus upgrades to his cyberbrain to keep up with the add-ons.**

**Does his wife know?**

**Yeah.**

The patient chart clanked obnoxiously as it was set back in its holder at the bed's foot. There was a long moment of silence, then, **Damn it.**

Batou had no desire to dredge up a suitable quip over her language.

The Major crossed her arms over her chest, lowering her head, but her eyes remained focused on the bed's occupant. **This shouldn't have happened. It was a small bust; we've taken worse.**

**I gave you my report.**

A sigh, more mental than physical, filtered down the link. **The Uchikoma.**

What the Uchikoma lacked in personality, the designers had attempted to make up for in hardware. Improved weaponry, meticulous targeting software ("shoot a fly off a rhino's ass," as Saitou had grudgingly put it), more durable armor, faster networking capabilities, perfectly logical… The Uchikoma were everything that the military could need in a thinking weapon.

The Major had accepted the change with her normal composure, asking the technicians probing questions about AI advancements, necessary software updates, user interfacing, maintenance, and various other things. The rest of the team had been notably reserved when presented with the new and improved successors of the Tachikoma, but they had listened as the technicians explained the ins and outs of the new models.

Batou had taken one look, snorted, and muttered something about 'pond-scum green tarantulas' before walking out. It would set the tone for the rest of his interactions with the new tanks.

**It disobeyed a direct order.**

**Akafuku's been going through its memory logs. Logically— **The word held a subtle overtone of disgust. **—to its point of view, you were most in need of help. Between an armored suit and a group of humans with handguns…**

A scowl deeply creased the skin around Batou's optical implants. **What about between a military-grade cyborg and a natural? Damn it, Major, I could have handled the suit! Togusa—**

Her gaze turned to meet his, looking somehow... guilty. **The technicians weren't sure… about installing agent values. They were worried that all the suits might flock to one agent, and leave the rest unsupported. I'll get Akafuku on it—**

Batou's mouth twisted into something between a grimace and a sneer. **We never programmed it into **_**them.**_

**Batou…** Her voice was subdued, pained.

**They didn't need to be told,** he said. **They knew from the first day they met him. No one explained it. They worked it out on their own. They **_**knew.**_

Togusa was the only unmodified human employed by Section Nine. Other than his cyberbrain implants, he was (as Batou had joked) '100 home-grown.' Of course, being the only full human in an organization made up of cyborgs, dolls, and AIs also made him something of an oddity, and the Tachikoma had been endlessly fascinated with him upon being introduced.

It had certainly made Togusa's first day interesting.

At length, the Major simply said, **They were… unique.**

It was far too little to say about such extraordinary AIs as the Tachikoma. Batou felt their absence more than most, but none at Section Nine could deny that the exuberant little tanks were sorely missed. The Uchikoma were an ugly patch to cover the gaping hole that the Tachikoma had left behind.

**Let me know when he wakes up. **She did not bother to ask whether he would be staying. She knew him too well.

**Yeah,**he replied. **Sure. **

She turned and exited. He listened as her steps faded away, still brisk and military but somehow... heavier.

Batou sat and listened, watching the rise and fall of Togusa's chest, mind filled with memories of blue-armored children with roving eyes and gentle hands and bright voices.

_This shouldn't have happened._

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**End****Value Undefined**


End file.
